Original Sin
by lunarmira
Summary: A nightclub singer in trouble, a piano player ODing on something she didn't take; Neji and company might have gotten involved in a bit more than they can handle in the third installment in my AU series... AU, Neji/Gaara


_**Original Sin**_

_**AN: **__I do not own the rights or characters for Naruto. This is a work of love and not meant for profit._

_That being said, welcome to the third installment of the Tears AU. YAY!!!_

_Also the song is not mine, it was written by Jim Steinman._

_**Chapter One**_

"It's not enough to make the nightmares go away, it's not enough to make the tears run dry," the woman in the red dress sung, "Not enough to live a little better everyday..."

She continued singing as the piano played, her paged wavy raven hair bobbing as the words poured from her red lips, pale arms outstretched to the crowd in the nightclub.

True, she wasn't famous. Her voice, though powerful, wasn't the type that agents wanted in their starlets these days. She didn't care too much, she was still on a stage, the woman she loved most played piano and what little they made they were happy with.

"Cause we'll always be praying and paying until we're beyond expiration, with a license to thrill," she smiled as she whispered the last part of the song, "I've been looking for an original sin."

Applause, scattered, but still sounded, and she bowed and turned to her lover as she stood.

Her dark blue eyes widened as instead of bowing, the sandy haired woman coughed up blood and collapsed, she ran to her, "Reiko!" she turned the still body over, "Reiko..." she looked up at the shocked patrons, "Call an ambulance!"

* * *

Neji and Gaara sat quietly in the audience of the community center's auditorium as little Hitori played the piano on the stage. Both were trying not to notice the empty seat next to Neji where the girl's father was supposed to be.

It was a lot harder than Neji anticipated, especially when the pale blue eyes of his niece fell as she saw the empty seat. He knew the current song she was playing was _not _the one she was supposed to be, but rather something Gaara had taught her when she asked him to play the violin while she practiced.

The red-head had refused to play "Blue Danube," so he got her sheet music for another piece, one Neji remembered him calling "Grief and Sorrow." It was a beautiful piece, though he preferred to hear the violin tones with it. _Could just be I'm a fan of Gaara's playing..._

"It's not meant as a solo," the red-head muttered quietly, "But she's doing pretty good."

The brunet nodded, he had bought a piano just so she could practice when she came over to his apartment, though it seemed that his niece and his lover were both conspiring to get him to play it as well. Hitori often made him sit next to her as she practiced, and Gaara had gotten him to try a few scales.

He hadn't the heart to mention to them that he already _knew_ how to play, and feigned ignorance so that they could "teach" him as he was enjoying the attention the two of him were giving him. The days that passed made them seem more and more like a small family, something he almost had with Gai, Tenten, and Lee but not quite.

Her visits were happening more frequently, mainly because Naruto had taken some pretty odd jobs at his friend's Sasuke's request. In the few months since she inherited the money from her grandfather Hiashi, it seemed that the blond was drifting further away from his four year old daughter, despite the great love between the two of them. Neji had wondered at one time if it was because of all that had happened in the few days between his wife's murder and the revealing of the Hyuuga scandal.

No matter the cause, he was _supposed_ to be here. Hitori had been working too hard for her recital for the blond to have simply not shown up. It didn't take his detective skills to know that the girl was devastated her father wasn't there, even though the normal bystander may not notice the tear filled eyes.

The solo ended, and she stood and bowed, receiving a standing ovation. Lee cheered, a bit too loudly, and Neji _swore _he heard one of Itachi's subordinate's yelling "Way to blow them away, un!"

"So, how much trouble is he in?" Gaara asked quietly.

"Once I decide, I'll let you know," the brunet whispered back.

* * *

As it was, Naruto didn't show up at all that night, and Hitori ended up sleeping on Neji's couch. In the morning, he had Gaara take her to her preschool when the red-head went to his morning classes at the college he now went to, and Neji went to his office, very much determined to get to the bottom of why that idiot abandoned his daughter.

_I don't know if I'm angry because he left her or because he just didn't give any warning this time, _he thought glumly as he hung his fedora on the rack.

There was an unfamiliar jacket there, and he looked into the lobby, where Tenten was talking with a raven haired woman wearing a very seductive red dress.

_Classic femme fatale... interesting._ He walked into the lobby.

"Oh Neji!" Tenten said as she looked up, "This is Kaede, a singer who usually performs," she looked at her notes, "_Eden's Pleasures_?"

"That's correct," Kaede said quietly.

"How may we help you?" Neji asked, eyebrow raised _That's one of the sex theme clubs in dungeon alley. Now what happened there?_

"My girlfriend, Reiko, she's my piano player... last night she had a heart attack on stage or something," Kaede shivered, "She's fine, the hospital said that she was stable, and to get her to lay off the drugs."

"Seems like sound advice," Tenten noted.

"That's just it!" Kaede exclaimed, "Reiko _never _did anything! She won't even smoke! She's so careful of anything going into her body. She's a vegetarian for god's sake!"

"So you suspect foul play. And you want us to look into it." he stated.

"There was a police officer who said that you weren't very expensive," she wrung her hands, "He talked to me at the hospital, a tall guy with black hair. He said that you would help."

"We will, you go back to Reiko and stay by her side," Neji assured her, "We might be coming by in a bit to ask her some questions though."

"You might want to send Ms. Tenten," Kaede said hesitantly, "Reiko _hates _men. I never asked her why though." she continued giving them her information and smiled gratefully at them as she left.

"Neji..." Tenten asked after she had gone, "I'm assuming you know... exactly what kind of club is _Eden's Pleasures_?"

"It's one of the more mundane ones in that neighborhood, so don't worry your virginal head," he smirked, "We're not going to be investigating anything you find too distasteful."

"I suppose Itachi is laughing at me right now," she groaned as her head hit the desk, "Hey!" she sat up suddenly, "Did _he_ ever show up?"

Neji shook his head, and she growled, "I can go freeze all of his accounts _right_ now if you want."

"Don't." he said as he walked back to his desk, "Instead put all of that talent of yours into getting me the information on that club. And I'll appreciate if you could baby sit Hitori tonight," he held up the card to the nightclub Kaede had given them, "Even if the idiot doesn't show back up, I want to take Gaara on a date tonight."

"What about interviewing Reiko?" Tenten asked, "You want me to do that after I get you the info?"

"Please," he said as Lee bounded into the office carrying everyone's coffee.

* * *

"Actually, let me baby sit Hitori," Itachi said as Neji went to his office to get the police report on Reiko's heart attack, "That way you won't get too distracted, and four sets of eyes are better than two."

The brunet raised an eyebrow, "Are you suggesting that I take Lee and Tenten into a night club like that? She was right, you are making fun of her."

"I'm saying that she may be able to get information that you can't. And Lee would be able to keep the more handsy patrons off of her."

"I just have to keep him from the alcohol," Neji pointed out.

"Designated driver." He handed over the copy of the police report, "You have another question."

"You wouldn't happen to know where Naruto is?" it was a long shot, but if the blond _was_ with Sasuke, then maybe...

"No idea. He and my brother went off somewhere," Itachi sighed, "Hopefully they haven't done anything too stupid and we'll be hearing from them in a couple of days. I wouldn't worry yet."

"Your poisons expert wouldn't happen to be in," Neji asked, regretfully changing the subject, "He might know what could have caused that sort of reaction."

"A variety of things," a new voice said, and the brunet looked up at the red-head with the tired half lidded eyes that yawned as he placed some papers on Itachi's desk, "The coughing up blood and heart attack are simply too common for me to narrow down what it was without more insight on it."

"That's a shame Sasori," the detective said quietly, "However if I find anymore information would you be able to?"

"Easily," the red-head yawned again, "But there's not much we can do, we're not going to get a warrant to go into that place unless something more tragic happens."

* * *

Tenten was pressing her forehead against her desk when he told her of the plans for that night, "I hate Itachi." she moaned.

"How wonderful!" Lee had shouted, "I've never been to a nightclub before!" Tenten shot him an exasperated look.

"Lee... do you have any idea what kind of things _happen _at a place like that?" she asked.

"Dancing! I'm looking forward to it!" he grinned.

She banged her head back against her desk.

Neji was on the phone with Kaede, who was still in the hospital, "There's no need, I can play. It'll give me a chance to investigate backstage anyways... yes, and my co-workers will be investigating the patrons. Don't worry." he hung up and sighed, "There goes my date... but I'm still sending Gaara with you two."

"I shall guard him," Lee said, "But what will you be doing?"

"I'm playing the piano tonight in the club's band," Neji sighed, "Which means I finally have to tell those two that I actually know how to play."


End file.
